Electric cooking utensil



y 1, 1938. J. R. CROSS 2,119,421

ELECTRI C COOK ING UTENS IL Filed Jan. 22, 1937 Patented May 31, 19382,119,421

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC COOKING UTENSIL James B. Cross,St. Petcrsburg, Fla.

Application January 22, 1937, Serial No. 121,880

9 Claims. (01. 21944) This invention relates to electric cookingutenheating element generally indicated at 9 is supsils broadly, andwhile not restricted thereto, is ported by means of pedestals Ill. Theheating primarily concerned with an electric fryer, or a element 9 inthe form herein shown comprises utensil in which frying of articles offood may be a refractory member 9a formed with a'plurality .1 carried onin an efficient and convenient manner. of annular grooves or recesses lladapted to re- '6 An object of the invention is to provide a utenceivethe conventional resistor coils I2. The elecsil of this type wherein theheat from the heattrical circuit for the heating element 9 includes ingelement is utilized to its highest practical terminals l3, note Fig. 4,connected in series with degree, or wherein the heat loss is reduced toa the ends of the resistor wires II, and a thermo- 10 minimum, tothereby improve the efliciency of the stat switch generally indicated atH of Fig. 1. l utensil. While any suitable type of thermostatic switchAnother object of the invention is to provide an may be utilized, it ispreferred to adopt the type electric cooker or fryer wherein the partsare herein illustrated and comprising a bimetallic constructed. in amanner such as to provide conelement l suitably secured at its one endto the I venience in assembly and disassembly and thererefractory plate9a and at its opposite free end 16 by render the parts easily andquickly accessible provided with a contact IS.-- The contact I5 is forrepair or cleaning, and wherein at the same adapted to engage a coactingcontact I! mounted time the parts may be manufactured at a relaon theend of a suitable conducting strip l8 tively low cost. whose fixed endis suitably secured to the refrac- 20 Another object of the invention isto provide tory plate 9a. The strips l5 and i8 are connected 20 in autensil of this type means for visibly indiin series in the electricalcircuit, and mounted eating the most ideal temperature at which towithin operative adjacency to the strip I5 is a fry or cook certainarticles of food, to thereby cam H! which is adjustably secured on theend of avoid waste heat and food loss and ensure more a control rod 20,note particularly Fig. 4. The

palatable food. rod 20 has fixed on the outer end thereof a 25 Theforegoing and other objects and advantages control knob 2| provided witha suitable index will become more apparent in view of the followhand 22.Strip I5'is normally urged under tening description taken in conjunctionwith the sion against the surface of cam l9. As will be drawing, whereinunderstood, contact IE will remain in engage- Fig. 1 is a substantiallycentral transverse'secment with the contact I! over a period of time 3tional view taken through an electric cooking or depending upon thetemperature of the strip frying utensil embodying the features of thepres l5 and the adjustment of the cam member I9. ent invention. Throughpractical experimentation I have Fig.2 is a view in elevation thereof.found that the temperature through which frying Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryview in elevation of may be carried on for different articles of food 35an electric'range, illustrating how the improved may be gaged so thatthe food will be cooked in utensil is adapted to be removably installedthe best manner. With this in view, I have artherein. ranged thethermostat indicating plate 23 as Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional viewtaken shown in Fig. 2. Thus when the indicator hand 40 through a portionof Fig. 3. 22 is adjusted to the type of food specified on the 40 Fig. 5is a fragmentary sectional view of a dial 23, the proper temperature atwhich that modified form of cooking utensil or fryer. particular articleof food may be fried or cooked Referring to the drawing in detail, thereferwill be obtained. It will be understood that these ence character 5generally designates an outer temperatures may be varied within certainlimits shell or receptacle which may be made of suitable to suit theindividual tastes and methods of frying 45 material, preferably metal.The shell 5 is formed adapted by different people. This method not withthe flange 6 at the top thereof in order that only facilitates the workof an experienced cook it may be seated in the conventional seat orreout also simplifies the procedure for a novice. cess provided inelectric ranges, and at an inter- Cheaper operation results since thereis less waste mediate point said shell is formed with an anheat and thefood is saved from shrinkage losses 50 nular offset or outwardly bulgedportion I. due to unnecessarily high temperatures.

Seated in the base of the outer shell or Con- Within the outer shell 5is mounted a liner tainer I is a heat reflector 8, which may be made 24which is adapted to seat directly on the heatof any suitable materialcapable of reflecting heat ing element 9 and is formed with an annularoutin an efficient manner, and on this reflector a wardly pressedportion defining ahead 25 adapted 56 engages recess Suitable insulatingmaterial 2'] may be inserted between the outer shell 11 and inner liner2 3, and addition a further strip or band of insulation material 28 isinserted around the chamber 26c. By this means, the heat given o by theelement El is imiforrnly distributed utilized to its fullest possibleextent and the point where it is most effective in a utensil of Acooking or trying 29 is removably seated in liner 2 and may be removedat will for washing or cleaning or for carrying the food from place toplace. This pan at its upper end is slightly inset as at 30 to permit itto be inverted when it is desired to use the utensil as a small oven. ifdesired, a suitable handle, not shown, may be provided for the pan 29,or a detachable handle may be used of any well known type.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification wherein ihe liner Ma is providedwith a series of openings or slots 3d whereby'the heat reflectedupwardly into the chamber 26a is applied directly against the sides ofthe pan In a construction oi this type, the heating action is more rapidand may perhaps be more fully utilized than in the con struction shownin Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 show how the improved utensil may be seated in aconventional electric range, generally indicated at St, the indicatorplate 23 being secured in any suitable manner on the front face of therange and the rod 2b projecting out wardly thereto. It will beunderstood of course that where the utensil is used separately the plate23 may be applied directly on the side of the utensil and the rod 2dshortened.

The ease with which the parts may be assembled or taken apart for thepurpose of cleaning or repair will be obvious, the pan 29 beingremovable from the liner 26, and the latter being removable undersuitable pressure from the outer shell 0, When the outer shell isremoved the element 9 is readily accessible for repairs. Not only isconvenience in assemblage and disassemblage provided, but the parts maybe economically manufactured so that the improved utensil may be sold ata relatively low price.

It will be understood that certain changes in construction and designmay be adopted within the scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. An electric cooking utensil having inner and outer walls and aheating element disposed beneath the bottom of the inner wall, aseparate heat reflecting member overlying the bottom of the outer wallbeneath said heating element, there being a space formed betweentheheating element and reflector and said space'extending upwardlyaround the sides of the inner wall of the utensil to thereby provide aheating chamber around said latter wall.

2. An electric cooking utensil comprising an outer shell, an innerliner, a heating element dis posed in the base of said outer shellbeneath said liner, a separate heat reflecting member oven lying thebottom of the outer shell beneath said heating element, there being aspace formed be tween the heating element and said member and a chamberbetween the lower side walls of outer shell and said inner liner incommunication with said space, said shell and liner being constructed toseal the upper end of said chamber.

3. An electric cooking utensil comprising an outer shell having a heatreflecting element formed with a generally concavo-convex redectingsurface disposed in the bottom thereof, inner liner inserted in saidouter shell, a heating element disposed beneath said liner and supported in spaced relation with respect to so heat reflecting member,said liner and outer shell having a chamber formed between the lowerside walls thereof whereby the heat reflected from said member ispocketed in said chamber, and means for insulating the outer shellagainst heat loss from said chamber.

An electric cooking utensil comprising an outer shell having anoutwardly bulged portion in the side wall thereof, an inner liner havingbead adapted to register with said outwardly bulged portion when theliner is assembled under pressure in the shell, the walls of said innerliner and outer shell being spaced from one another beginning at a pointadjacent said bead and extending downwardly to the bottom portion of theutensil, a heating element disposed in said space beneath the innerliner, and means in the form of a separate heat-reflecting elementoverlying said bottom portion for reflecting heat given ofi bys'aidelement upwardly into said space.

5. An electric cooking utensil comprising an outer shell, an inner linerdetachably engaged in said outer shell, an electric heating elementdisposed beneath the inner liner, and a frying pan removably telescopedin said inner liner.

6. An electric cooking utensil comprising an outer shell, an inner linerdetachably engaged in said outer shell, an electric heating element diposed beneath the inner liner, and a frying pan removably disposed insaid inner liner, said frying pan being constructed so that it may beinverteol and have its open top portion partially telescoped in saidliner and thereby convert the utensil into a small oven.

7. An electric cooking utensil comp-rising an outer shell having agenerally dish-shaped heat reflecting member disposed in the bottomthereof, a refractory heating element supported on said reflector and inspaced relation thereto, aninner liner disposed in said outer shell andhaving its bottom resting on said heating element, there being a chamberformed between the outer shell and the inner liner around the bottomportion of the latter, whereby the heat reflected by said member isconducted upwardly into said chamher, and a pan removably disposed insaid liner with its bottom wall substantially in contact with the bottomwall of the liner.

8. An electric cooking utensil comprising an outer shell having a heatreflecting member disposed in the bottom thereof, a refractory heatingelement supported on said reflector and in spaced relation thereto, aninner liner disposed in said outer shell and having its bottom restingon said heating element, there being a chamber formed between the outershell and the inner liner around the bottom portion of the latter,whereby the heat reflected by said member is conducted upwardly any ingelement; disposed in the base thereof, an ad- .justable thermostaticswitch; arranged to control the current flowing in said element, anindicator hand or the like associated with said switch, and

an index associated with said hand bearing the names of various articlesof food arranged in graduated relation according to temperatures 5conducive to most eflicient cooking thereof.

JAMES R. CROSS.

